Glossary
We’ve curated a glossary of terms regarding all things writing and publishing related. From commonly-used terms to abbreviations, our glossary will guide writers and people starting out in publishing, to cut through the jargon and gain a better understanding.
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Formatting
The act of a manuscript being arranged so that it can appear in the correct manner on the page
Frontlist
New books just published (generally in their first year of publication) or about to be published by a publisher. Promotion of the frontlist is heavy, and the frontlist carries most of a publisher's investment. On the other hand, a backlist which continues to sell is usually the most profitable part of a publisher's list.
Full colour
A printing process where four colours (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) are combined to produce complete colour images, artwork and design on pages.
Hardback
A book bound with rigid protective covers, often made of cardboard with cloth or paper coverings.
Impression
A single print run of a book; all books in an impression are manufactured at the same time and are identical. A 'second impression' would be the second batch of copies to be printed and bound. The impression number is usually marked on the copyright/imprint page. There can be several impressions in an edition, all sharing the same ISBN.